6 Ways to Make Money with Your Sports Obsession

The sports industry is absolutely huge the world over, and the amount of money that gets passed around is staggering.

Most people think that the only way to make money in the sports niche is to be lucky, skilled and healthy enough to make the team and build a career from it.

Most sports fans though are not usually geared for actually playing, so how then can a sports obsessed fan make money from their favorite pastime?

Here are my top six ways to make money with sports, without ever touching a ball, or getting sweaty!

1. Sell Sports Memorabilia

As a sports fan, you will likely have some memorabilia of your own. Rare items can easily fetch thousands at auction, and even things that aren’t so rare can still be turned for a profit, if obtained at a good price.

Finding memorabilia isn’t for the faint hearted. The internet and sites like eBay have highlighted to the masses exactly how much sporting memorabilia can go for, so these historical items have become more widely sought.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t find stuff though.

Some of the best places to go looking for memorabilia are:

Flea markets

Thrift Shops

Yard Sales

Auctions

Storage sales

Normally the flea markets are your best bet as it’s likely the sellers don’t know precisely what they are selling.

You will definitely need to know your stuff when trying to find memorabilia, and learning as much about your sport helps.

There will be times when you will pick up a forgery or replica; in fact there are so many forged signed items, it may well be worth avoiding them altogether unless they come with verification.

That being said, the return on a genuine item is well worth it.

2. Run a Fantasy League Site

First off, let’s ignore the betting side of fantasy leagues, there’s way too much legal gray area there.

Instead, why not set up a site that caters to those wanting interesting fantasy leagues for your favorite sport?

This site can become a money maker through various methods:

Advertising

Good old adverts are an easy way to generate income, especially if the site gains traction and pulls in a large number of visitors.

Membership

Offer perks and added value and charge for it with a recurring monthly fee.

Affiliate Products/Tickets

Like adverts, but for specific vendors. You can generally make more money by affiliating with sellers.

There’s certainly a lot of work that will need to go into making your own fantasy league site, but if done right you can generate a large loyal following and income as well.

3. Become an Online Commentator

If you fancy yourself as a pundit, why not give online commentary a shot?

You could use video or just audio via a podcast to pass on your knowledge and thoughts on the latest games to a wide audience.

There are numerous platforms you can use to give your view on sporting events:

YouTube

This behemoth of a video site has many benefits when it comes to showcasing your commentating skills: a large user base and an easy way to earn money via its advert system.

Periscope

This live streaming service has the potential to reach a large, mobile focused audience. The main down side is that it is hard to monetize, though you could use it in conjunction with other platforms.

Your Own Site

This is definitely the best option if you head towards the podcasting angle. While there are plenty of services for hosting podcasts, they are not easily monetized, where your own website is!

4. Start Taking Some Sports Photography

Sports photography is big business, but extremely cutthroat. While you may not be able to get a spot near the action and be able to take photos with cameras worth thousands of dollars, that doesn’t mean you can’t make money with sports photography.

One excellent way to do it is to take photos of the sports stars off the pitch/rink/court, and sell those on to sports magazines and websites.

Of course a decent camera will be needed if you want to take pictures of the action, but you can easily get started with a mid-range DSLR.

Tips:

Use a monopod for stability

Use a telephoto lenses

Don’t stay in one place

Don’t get caught up in the game that you forget to take photos!

The main take away is to take interesting action shots of the players and even the crowd that would be worthwhile for magazines and websites to purchase.

5. Rent Your Driveway

If you live nearby to a stadium and parking is a premium, why not consider renting out your driveway?

Sites such as JustPark make it very easy to sell your driveway spot for a specified period of time. The site is based in the UK, but has branched out to the US and beyond.

It’s really easy money especially if you’re at work or visiting family and have no need for the driveway.

6. Write a Sports Blog

Take your knowledge and write about your favorite sports on a blog. Not only can you shape the content to match your views and opinions, but you will be able to reach a large fan base that shares (or hates) your opinion.

Just like with the Fantasy League idea, you can easily monetize the website with adverts, membership options and affiliate marketing.

With a sports blog you’re free to not only review individual games, but comment on the season and the general state of affairs in the game.

Setting up a site isn’t that hard, the only thing you need is a voice and a commitment.

The Bottom Line

While you may not be able to run a like the wind, or hit a tennis ball, you can still turn your passion for your game into a money maker. All it takes is the will to mold that passion into a business.

hello,
i have just started doing research as to how to make great business out of ny websites with a lot of prospects in other areas of sports. however, making it as a businesses like ESPN and other big sites is my dream and i hope your ideas will surely help, thank you for the areas you have highlighted, i have enjoyed and learnt a lot from your post

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